Glasgow 2014 security fears as Games hire school-leavers

Terrorism experts warn late recruitment will leave event ‘vulnerable’

School-leavers are being recruited to throw a ring of steel around Commonwealth Games venues. Scores of workers are still needed to fill safety steward roles despite the fact there are less than three weeks to go until the opening ceremony.

And we can reveal unqualified 18-year-olds straight out of school are being offered the chance to provide vital cover at venues. The £7.45-an-hour posts advertised online last week require stewards “to tell people where to go” in 12-hour shifts.

But there were fears last night the last-minute recruitment blitz could leave the showcase event which begins on July 23 vulnerable to a security risk.

The UK is currently on a major security alert amid fears extremists could target the country. Last night security expert and academic David Capitanchik expressed shock the roles were being filled so close to the opening ceremony.

He said: “I would have expected them to be a lot more organised than this. The amount of time left is much too little for an event like the Commonwealth Games.”

Posing as an 18-year-old school-leaver with no qualifications, our reporter contacted a company advertising Commonwealth safety steward positions, to ask for a job. He was told he would undergo a single day’s training to equip him with the skills required to co-ordinate the thousands of fans expected at venues.

When our reporter asked what he would be doing as a safety steward, he was told he would be “directing people where to go and stopping them going where they’re not allowed to go”.

The recruiter added: “You don’t need any qualifications. We’ll get you in for one day and give you some training to show you some ins-and-outs so you aren’t going there flapping about.”

But experts claim the training is likely to be too brief, and too last-minute. A second experienced security source said: “This is highly alarming. Even if these people are only being recruited to be safety stewards, it puts them in a position of authority. They could easily use their influence to get into privileged or vulnerable areas.

The former plain clothes officer with Strathclyde Police added: “I wouldn’t be comfortable attending Celtic Park for any event knowing this is the quality of personnel hired to ensure my family’s personal safety.”

Last night a Glasgow 2014 spokesman insisted all of the stewards hired to provide cover at its venues would have “industry-recognised” qualifications or “an agreed level of competency” spelled out in the UK Government’s guidelines Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds

Two firms HRM Homecare Services Ltd and HSC Facilities Management have been given the job of finding 600 to 700 stewards before the opening ceremony. Fresh-faced recruits will have to work for 12 days straight for little more than the minimum wage. They will be working alongside staff from other firms, including Securigroup, Showsec International and G4S, the company which was caught up in a security shambles at the London Olympics.

A Glasgow 2014 spokesman said safety stewarding at sporting events and sports venues in the UK was regulated by numerous statutory instruments, legislation and guidance.

“The organising committee has responsibility for the management of spectator safety operations at all official organising committee operated Glasgow 2014 sites and venues and will contract safety stewarding providers to meet licensing obligations,” he said.

A spokesman for HSC Facilities Management said it ran “graded learning” courses. And he denied training lasts a day insisting it takes 40 hours to complete.

On completion of the course, new employees are awarded a BTEC Level 2 qualification. The spokesman said: “The advert did say no experience necessary but what the advert didn’t say was that full training would be given. It was probably an error on our behalf. We train people in accordance with the guide to safety in sports grounds.”

Britain was placed on terror alert this week amid concerns stealth bombs could be hidden inside fanatics’ bodies. Despite the fears Downing Street has insisted the UK terror threat level has not been raised.

Earlier this week it was revealed more than 2,000 military personnel would be drafted in to help provide security for the Glasgow event, which is set to attract the likes of Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt and Scottish gold medal prospect Eilidh Child.

Hundreds of reservists are among the troops taking part in the operations. Together, they will provide specialist capabilities such as explosive ordnance disposal support and air security measures.